1. Field of the Invention:
This invention relates to an ID system communication control method through which it is possible to control communication between a controller and a plurality of data carriers having different communication protocols.
2. Description of the Prior Art:
ID (identification) systems are available for identifying the types of assembly parts, manufactured parts and semi-fabricated products delivered on a conveyor or the type of tool on a machine tool, by way of example. One type of such an ID system which has recently been considered employs data carrier elements affixed to these articles. Each data carrier contains a memory in which specific data from a controller can be written or from which data can be read. In an ID system of this type, a large number of the data carriers arrive at a single ID controller to have data read or written. This ID system is premised on the fact that the communication between the ID controller and the data carriers will use an identical communication protocol. An ID system having a controller capable of communicating with a plurality of data carriers having different communication protocols has not been proposed heretofore.
Thus, an ID system in which a controller is capable of communicating with a plurality of data carriers having different communication protocols does not yet exist. However, as ID systems spread and become more common, it is inevitable that data carriers of a variety of types, i.e. of different communication protocols, will appear on the market. Thus, developers of ID systems will be pressed to provide communication control systems in which one and the same controller is capable of communicating with any type of data carrier, regardless of its communication protocol, without imposing limitations upon the data carriers used.